Horizon
by Jubilee646
Summary: Kady is your all american, horse loving, teenage girl. A tangled web of romance, jealousy, action, horror, and fantasy come into play. She leaves behind her friends, an ex boyfriend who she can't stop loving, and a secret that will change her life.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Just keep going, a little further!" Kady was on her three mile mark when she made a dramatic fall to soft grass.

"What did I tell you, there is no way I am going to be able to make track!" Kady rasped, trying to gain a normal breathing pattern.

"Oh whatever! You could try cross country, that wouldn't be to bad." Becca said, trying, but not succeeding in encouraging Kady. She could never quite understand why her friends would not give up on the stupid notion of getting her on some teem at school, their efforts were pointless.

"Becca why are you and Hailey trying so hard? You know I don't have time whatsoever to join any teem or clubs at school." She said as Becca helped her up. "Kady you need to try something different, you can't always have a horse as a team mate." Becca and Hailey had this argument with Kady ever since they started high school. Kady was always at the barn. It was her safe haven. She didn't mind that her friends were getting upset with her for not getting out more, she did find it quite amusing though.

"I like having two to a team, there isn't that much pressure involved. Besides it really isn't that big of a deal. You have your running, Hailey has her swimming, and I have my horseback riding. Don't worry about me. It wasn't that bad last year and you know it." Kady was starting to make her way to the parking lot. Even though she was a sophmore she was old for her grade. At sixteen she had her drivers license, but she couldn't drive with friends in the car. Becca was annoyed and ready to come up with a bunch of reasons, but couldn't quite get to it before she spotted her boyfriend in the parking lot.

"Hailey and I both think that you run away to the barn way to much, you need to get out and meet some athletic guys. We know how much you want to date. Don't get annoyed with us, we just care about your well being." Becca finished with a smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow Becca. You and Jeff have a good date tonight. You will have to tell me how it turns out." Kady smiled at Jeff through the open car window, gave Becca a hug, and jumped into her jeep.

Kady was on her way home, and the barn, which was situated behind her house, when she spotted vans pulling into her street. Her mom had told her there was a new family moving next door. Kady wasn't excited to have company close by. There was a reason behind living in the middle of nowhere. As she passed by, she spotted a guy staring at her. She was sure he couldn't see through her darkly tinted windows, but as she passed by he squinted in her opened window, gave a smile and a wave. _He has no idea what he's in for. _Kady thought when she smiled and waved back in return. _He can't be seriously moving next door. He looks like he's from some far away city, country or whatever. What the heck is he doing in a small place like Tennessee? He is pretty cute though. Ugh whatever Kady! Stop kidding yourself he is totally out of your league. No way would he be interested in you. Just act cool and collected. Sarcasm is the key; keep yourself in check. _Kady always had arguments with herself, sometimes she would zone out in school or even when she was talking to people. It was a natural thing. She came up with the idea,_ no one could hurt you as long as you stayed in your own head. _She learned a lot of things last year during her bad break up with one of the guys who was on the football team, and who was naturally part of the _in_ crowd. It hurt her, yes, but it wasn't as bad as she thought, it gave her a good outlook on herself. She was surprised when he waved her down so he could talk to her. _Oh come on! Seriously why can't you just let me drive by, just because we live close to each other doesn't mean we have to be best buddies. Kady why are being such a jerk already? You haven't even met the freaking guy and your already starting to freak out! _

"Hey! I just thought I should introduce myself because you know we live so close and I am new to Tennesse." _Is he for real? Ugh please don't hold out your hand and say you name, I just want to get home to the barn._

"My name is Marcus Rain." He held out his hand through the window, which she took and smiled.

"My name is Kady Dale." She knew now why she wasn't looking forward to meeting him. He was charming. She didn't need charming right now, she didn't want to take another chance with it.

"Its nice to know I have a person close to my age near by, I thought I would be out hear home alone." _Give me a break. He did sound pretty sincere though. NO! Kady don't fall for it stay strong, be cool. _

" Yeah, it does get a little lonely out here sometimes. What do you mean by home alone? Don't you have parents?" She really wanted to know how old this guy was!

"My parents like to travel, so they think I am responsible enough to stay home alone all the time. I must admit it does get lonely though." Marcus looked down at his feet, his face concentrated like he was figuring out some hard math problem.

" Well you sound somewhat like me, my dad's a musician and my mom's a nurse. My older brothers and sister are all in college, so I'm usually home alone as well." _Why did you just tell him that? _

"Well then I guess we will be hanging out quite a bit." He said with a smile. _Wow, guess who's all Mr. Confident. _"Uhh yeah I guess we will. I'll talk to you later, I need to get home and start on homework." _Or take a long trail ride. _

"Oh yeah we will, definitely!" He said with a little too much enthusiasm, thought Kady. She put her car in drive and sped down the road toward home.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Kady! Dinner! Now!" Her dad shouted from downstairs. Kady still wasn't finished with her algebra homework, her trail ride took a little longer than she expected.

"Dad! I'm coming!" Kady made sure her feet made a definite "thump, thump" when she descended the stairs. As she made her way around the wall that entered the kitchen she stopped in her tracks.

_Why is he here!?! _

"Kady did you get to meet Marcus on your way in?" Her mother asked while loading Marcus's plate with spagetti and garlic bread.

"Uh yes, we met on my way back from running." Kady's voice sounded almost frantic but not quite.

"Your father and I have decided to start having him for dinner! Since he can't get a home cooked meal at home he's going to be eating with us." Her mom, Jane, sounded almost too overjoyed but that's just how she was, always ready to please everyone.

"Sorry to intrude Kady, but your mom insisted that I come and have dinner." Marcus situated his chair so he could smile at her.

"Oh, no problem! I don't mind, mom makes too much anyway, now we won't have to have left over as much." For some reason to be happy that Marcus was there, wasn't as hard as she thought. _Oh crap. Your happy he's here! You are seriously way to easy. _Kady walked over to the last open seat next to Marcus.

Marcus POV

_ What is up with the frantic, HELP, face? Am I scarring her or something, maybe I should lighten up. I might be coming on to strong. Its going to be cool being able to have dinner with her almost every night. _

_I don't even know the girl and I'm already desperate for her to be happy to see me. If she smiled more it would help me not assume she hates me. I must say though, she is beautiful. I still can't tell if her eyes _

_are an extremely dark blue or green, her hair isn't blond but not brown either just a dark bronze, she isn't a stick either, she has some pretty amazing curves. Does she know how pretty she is? She doesn't act _

_like she does, of course that just adds to the beauty. Marcus! What the heck man! You don't even know the girl and your already acting like a fool! I wonder if she's dating anyone? No! You can't go dating _

_anyone and you know it! Of course what if she could be mine? What if she could accept what I am? Ill just have to get to know her even more. Good. She said she rides horses maybe I can pretend that I am _

_taking a walk and on accident run into her. Great Idea! No._ Marcus was debating with himself as always. After going so long without parents of his own that was the only way he could think things through. His

father being an alpha; like Marcus; brought up so many problems that they couldn't stand being in the same household. Which totally sucked because he needed advice right now. His mom still wrote him and

told him how much she loved him and how she was going to try to visit. He knew that his father wouldn't let him even ten feet around his mom. Right when he was born and they found out he was a boy his

dad started making plans for him to be sent away to different boarding schools until he was old enough to take care of himself. Thankfully they paid for his housing and food so he wouldn't have to worry. _I _

_wonder if I am going to the same school as her?_ Marcus thought. He was so full he felt as though he needed to throw up so he could stand straight. He was walking with Kady's parents, what were there names?

Oh yes, Jane and Matt Dale. They were rambling on and on about the high school and a bunch of other stuff, he wasn't paying attention. As he was opening his door and giving his thanks and appreciation for the

dinner he looked up at the farm house windows. Scouting out to see which one was hers. She gave herself away by standing at the window to the far left. It was the most captivating and strangest things he had

ever witnessed. Jane and Matt were already making there way inside the house so it was just him and Kady. They just stared at each other for a couple of minutes then he smiled and she returned the gesture. _I _

_am going to figure you out._ He thought confidently to himself as he got into his truck. For a second he thought she heard him but then she just waved and moved away from the window and sadly out of sight.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kady POV

"BEEP, BEEP, BEEP… BEEP, WAM!!" _Great, second alarm clock I've broken. Maybe I could just lay here for a little longer. NO! UP!_ _NOW!_ After wasting a couple of minutes arguing with herself, Kady finally made her way to her closet. _I seriously do not give a crap about what I look like today. _With no regrets she threw on a pair of blue jeans and her favorite t-shirt, she couldn't remember where she got it. _No makeup day_. Kady hated seeing girls depend on makeup every morning when they would look just as good without it, so she started no makeup days when she was in middle school.

"Mom are you sure you can't drive me this morning?" Kady whined when she was getting cereal. Her dad took her car this morning while his was being fixed at the shop.

"Honey I have an early shift, I'm sorry you are just going to have to put up with everyone on the bus." As she finished her excuse, so Kady thought, Jane looked at her watch, gave Kady a hug and ran out the door. _Everyone isn't the problem. Kyle Ford is the problem. _

Ever since she started high school Kady was the lucky winner of having Kyle as an admirer. For some reason she couldn't understand why Kyle thought that to attract her he had to be the biggest jerk possible… He didn't know that it had the opposite affect on Kady.

It was dark, at 6:00am, as she made her way up her driveway to the bus stop. She totally forgot that on her way there she would have to pass by Marcus's lovely new home. _Just my luck_. Kady thought sarcastically as she tried to pick up the pace while passing the driveway.

"Hey there!" Kady whirled around to see Marcus's dark figure.

"Hey!" Kady replied in a shaky voice.

"Your mom drove by in a hurry, and stopped to tell me you were riding the bus today. So I just thought I could walk you up there." As he said this he walked over to her side a little too quickly.

"Oh, that would be great! I thought you might be driving your own car to school." Or maybe you'd be making your way to college. As Marcus looked down at her she could really catch his appeal. He was built like a football player, but there was still something more to him then just an amazingly built body. He had dark green eyes and his hair was a rusty brown. There was also his confidence and the security she felt when he came close.

_Wow, and today was the day that I decided to not give a crap about what I looked like, and here I am with a totally sweet, handsome guy. Can't wait to see what he thinks about all the girls at our school._

"When I start driving to school you will be the first person to know. They haven't given me a tag for their parking lot yet."

_First person to know? Does that mean he will be driving me to school? I hope so! _Once they got to the edge of the drive silence took over. It wasn't awkward silence, because if it was, Kady would be cracking up. It was a curse she was blessed with at a young age. Awkward moments equaled laughing.

Marcus POV

_Wow, first girl to not have an awkward silence with, that just made my day. She isn't wearing any makeup! I hit the jackpot! _As he not so obviously stared at Kady from the corner of his eye the bus loudly made its way down to them. Kady made a disgusted face that hinted bus rides weren't here favorite. Marcus soon found out why.

"There's my girl!" A big jock type guy called from the back.

_My girl? She isn't dating is she? Please tell me not him! She could do so much better! Like me. _He was soon answered when she flipped the guy off and sat down as far away from him as possible.

_That's my girl! Oh no. My girl? You are seriously going to have to slow down a bit. YES she is still single as far as I know. _Marcus made a daring look at the boy in the back and was given a threatening death look. _Jealous sucker. _

"Nice kid." Marcus said as he sat by Kady. The feeling of protecting her came stronger to him in that moment then he knew ever could.

"Oh I know, lovely kid. I'm glad I'm not the only one that can tell he still hasn't grown up since fifth grade." She said with a smile.

"Just out of curiosity, what grade are you in?" she asked.

"I'm a Junior. What about you?" He asked back hoping she would be a junior as well.

"I'm a sophmore, older for my grade, I'm supposed to be a junior though."

_As I said before, JACK POT!! _"Well, hopefully we will be in some classes together." He said softly. Kady's expression changed as she looked out the window. He couldn't quite pick up what it meant but it was interesting and curious to watch. She had a confusing expression on her face it was between pissed off and thoughtful.

"Is something wrong, should I move to another seat?" He asked trying not to sound let down. He was starting to stand up when she grabbed his sleeve and yanked him back down to the seat next to hers.

"Nothing is wrong, everyone always thinks something is wrong when I am thinking. I don't quite understand why." She looked away and back out the window. The expression slid back into place.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, hoping it wasn't anything too personal.

" I was just thinking about everything, school, you, my friends, family, the world. Don't be offended if I don't announce everything, I have a tendency to stay in my own head." She said with a bright smile, like she was proud of herself for it.

_I'm going to like spending time with you. _He thought.

Kady POV

_This should be an interesting day. Once he steps foot into that school, he'll probably never talk to me again. _Kady thought as she stepped off the bus.

"Can you show me to the office? I'm am totally lost." He said with a cute puppy face.

Kady laughed and tugged his arm. "Sure, I don't think I feel like leaving you lost and confused on your first day." She said and they both laughed: but were soon cut off when Jessica Parks walked up.

"Hey there Kady! I haven't talked to you in forever, we seriously need to hang out sometime!" She said with an annoyingly fake, perfect smile. She was to no surprise a cheerleader, but worse. She had the body that most girls other than Kady wanted, way to skinny for it to be normal and still able to have some muscle here and there. She had a fake tan and black hair, green eyes to top it all off.

"Oh yeah we should totally hang out, when was the last time? I can't remember, it was Third grade wasn't it? Maybe it was second, I can't quite remember." Kady answered with an equally fake smile. Jessica's faded into a lovely death stare.

"I guess it was. Oh! I am so sorry! Kady is being rude again, we haven't met. My name is Jessica Parks!" She said as she gave him the most obvious, HE IS MINE, expression, she might as well had it pasted on her four head.

"Uhh yeah hey! My Name is Marcus Rain." Marcus said shaking her hand as though she was some kind of serpent about to eat him.

"Well I am so glad to meet you! We should totally hang out sometime!" Jessica shouted back as she tried to make a dramatic exit. _She needs to go die in a hole, I will gladly dig her grave. _Kady thought with a smile, just thinking about how much easier her life would be without the most fake, popular girl in the world out of her life for good.

"Sooo you two must be pretty close." Marcus said with a wry smile.

Kady slapped his shoulders. "Exactly, as they always say, keep your friends close but your enemies closer."

When they arrived in the office they had to part ways so Marcus could go get his schedule and parking tag. "Hopefully I will see you around then." He said happily as he backed away slowly into the principle's office. "Yeah, sure thing." She shouted as the door closed behind her.

"So you and Marcus Rain huh." Becca said from over her math homework. By the end of the day everyone new who he was as though they had known him for ages.

"You seriously need to start telling us these things! I feel like your drifting into another world and I never get to talk to you." Hailey added after raising her head from her Spanish homework.

"You two are making the biggest deal. There is nothing going on between us, he's just my new cute neighbor." Kady almost whispered to herself, afraid he might be somewhere near as they sat in the lunch room with everyone else. She had only seen him once on her way to culinary arts. He had a big smile for her that made her automatically grin back.

"He seemed pretty happy to see you on our way to culinary." Hailey tried to say with her mouth full of salad.

Hailey was one of the few friends who Kady had kept throughout elementary and middle school. They were basically sisters. Kady hadn't been talking to her friends much witch made her feel guilty.

"You both are being silly people. Can we talk about you two instead of me right now?" Kady whined as she spotted Marcus looking at her from one of the other tables. It looked like the group of guys he was sitting with were talking about her and he was looking at her with an almost amused expression. Kady new only two or three of the guys he was sitting with, the others were seniors. The bad part was two of the guys he was sitting with she turned down not to long ago. They were perverts so she let them down pretty hard at the time, which she regretted as it looked like they were letting Marcus in on the fact she wasn't the easiest girl to get; but it looked as though he didn't mind.

"Are you guys excited for the football game or what?" Becca changed the subject pretty quickly, from there on out all they were talking about the first football game of the season.

Marcus POV

"I told her that I would change if we started going out, and she was like; Sorry, but I don't date perverted four year olds who can't keep their hands to themselves." Joe Tyler said in a girly voice he couldn't pull off. With that, all the guys at the table started outright laughing. It was so good to hear that Kady wasn't the easy type, which seemed hard for these guys to grasp.

What Marcus did start to understand was that Kady had been asked out by some of the most untrustworthy, popular guys. This gave him a uneasy feeling. It almost seemed as though she were avoiding them at all costs.

"Just a guess guys, but are we talking about my Kady once again." A tall, strong built guy with messy black hair said as he sat across from Marcus. _So she did try to date one of them. _

_"_Hey there John! Yeah, she turned another one of us down… Again." Joe said while taking a shy peek at Kady.

"She probably can't get over me still." John remarked with a confident glance over at the girl they were talking about. As though on cue, Kady looked up at John and gave him a stern level look. When she looked at Marcus she smiled and continued eating. _This guy is messed up if he thinks that's attraction. _John seemed to realize the smile wasn't intended for him because he turned around and looked at Marcus with a look that said "Who the hell are you?"

"I think the problem is you can't get over her." A kid named Darin remarked thoughtfully. Darin was built strong, like all the other guys at the table, had dusty colored hair that was swept to the side along with glasses; he was reading some really thick book Marcus couldn't make out.

"You all know I'm not over her. That's the problem. Jessica almost jumped on me before Kady walked into the biology room, I guess trying to prove some slutty point." John's face fell into a deadly glare.

"I've tried to get over her like you guys told me to but nothing is working. I'll get her sooner or later." _Alright so there is going to be some competition._

"Sorry I haven't introduced myself, I'm John Ross, your Marcus Rain? Right?" Marcus took John's hand sternly as though to prove some dominant point.

"Yep, New Kid is also a name that's been used throughout the day." Marcus said with a wry smile.

"And Kady's new neighbor." Joe included.

"huh that's interesting." John said while taking another back glance at Kady.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"He said what!" Kady screamed.

"He just said that he would get you back again, it really isn't that big of a deal. You know I am always here for you Kit but I'm not going to be your little spy." Darin said rather sternly. He was driving her home after they finished studying at the library.

"Im not asking for you to be a spy for me, its just annoying that he has to let everyone think he still has some kind of hold to me. I really wanted to get to know Marcus, but if he is going to be all buddy, buddy with my possessive ex-boyfriend then its going to be hard to have a chance." Kady drowned in annoyance.

"Don't worry, that's something I'll help you out with. I like Marcus. He's seems to be a pretty good guy. You really do need to start dating someone else. I think John thinks your still having the same trouble he is with the getting over you part."

Darin had been pretty much a brother to Kady ever since her summer before high school. They had met at the grocery store when her car wouldn't start. He helped her start it and they hit it off. He was that guy friend every girl needs; for support, comfort, and not an attractive threat.

"Well Darin, I guess I'll see you on Monday. Thanks for all the help." Kady said as she climbed out of his jeep.

"You know I'm always here when you need me." He replied before he drove off.

]It was already pretty dark as Kady jogged behind her house to take care of her horse before going inside. She saw the kitchen lights on.

"Where's my best friend?" She whispered in the dark barn, stumbling over who knows what trying to find the stupid light switch.

She was rewarded by a deep, bass neigh. "I know I'm late. I'll have to ride you early tomorrow before anyone gets up. Anyways I had a retarded day at school, which included retarded boys who don't know anything, and drama. My life is now complete."

Complaining, and telling her life story to her horse was like therapy because there was no judgment involved, and she wouldn't get any unwanted advice. It was a quiet and unheard response that always helped.

Kady couldn't help but go into the stall and give Kearn a huge hug. The smell of the barn always slowed everything down. After taking a moment to take a deep breath and calm down Kady fed, and watered. Before she new it, it was pitch black outside, she forgot a flashlight, and it was a good long walk back to the house.

She soon realized that it was a mistake to even try to walk home, just one phone call would give her a ride.

The moon would make a dramatic appearance every now and then, which would help out with staying on the road. But when the moon would fade away it was dark again, she couldn't see anything. Her adrenaline made her start jogging.

Before she new it, one trip on the uneven pavement made her start to stumble and fall. There wasn't a fall. There were two hands that quickly snaked there way around her waist.

Before she could let out a scream one hand shot up to cover her mouth.

"I'm just an innocent bystander." Marcus whispered in her ear. Chills and adrenaline quickly dripped down her spine, witch then was fallowed by a calm and warn out feeling.

"Seriously though you shouldn't be running in the dark, its not very smart." He said pulling her back to his chest making sure she wouldn't fall face first.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kady POV

One second she felt like a scared cat that was about to claw his eyes out, but in the next second when she new it was him, she felt like a little puppy dog who couldn't stand up straight.

"Excuse my French but you scared the shit out of me." She whispered.

"I told your parents I would come and make sure you got back home alright." He said in an equally quiet tone. As he set her at arms length to test her stability he heard a rustling noise to his left. Kady heard it as well, for she was close to him once again. Marcus opened up his vision to look closer at whatever was trying to be heard. He was returned with two sets of black, silver rimmed eyes.

John POV

After seeing Marcus hold Kady because he thought that something would hurt her or something gay like that, John was pretty pissed. He went the long way around the valley to come back to her house from the other side.

He was hoping that during that time Marcus had gone and left. It took about an hour or so before he came up the hill to Kady's house. He went up beside the house to look in the living room window. He saw pretty much the normal stuff: dad asleep on the old leather couch, mom cleaning up in the kitchen. The only thing missing was Kady.

John soon found out there was much more out of place tonight. The jealousy, hate, and a need to fight feelings never seased to catch him off guard. They came on so strong and so fast.

Seeing Marcus once again with the girl he loved made him want to do some drastic, stupid, and totally life risking. _I would rather die at that moment then see this new comer walk into Kit's room, jumping down to sit on the bed, and look over at her with such attraction. I always gave myself hope when she would give me looks from the corner of her eyes, or when she gave me her adorable annoyed look from across the cafeteria._ Most of the time she thought he didn't see, but he saw everything. It might sound extremely obsessive because it is, but its something he couldn't help, no matter what he did or who he tried dating, the feelings he got when he was around her took over him with such force he couldn't counterattack them anymore.

Kady POV

"Yes mom?" Kady asked after hearing a soft tap at her door. She just heard Marcus leave her house when the tap came.

"Honey, I need to tell you something." Her mom said in a quiet but serious tone.

John POV

John was still pissed from the night he just had when he was walking into the library early the next morning to talk to Darin.

"Okay, so what was the emergency call for?" He said as he sat across from his most important and trustworthy friend.

"I have something to tell you. I thought that you would rather hear this from me then from Joe or Cabe, and don't throw anything across the room just remember to take easy bre –"

"What is it!?!" John snapped.

"Kady is moving to California in four days. Her grandmother just died and left their family's old estate. Kady's parents can't give it up so there moving. Dude just breath, maybe there's a way." Darin finished in a whisper.

John's face had no expression which was even worse, his face grew redder as the information sunk in. "Darin what the hell! What am I supposed to do now!?! I can't just let her move away forever!" John ended up shooting out of his chair and throwing it across the room where it crashed into the brick wall. With that he left the library like a man out of hell.

Kady POV

The school day was filled with tears and repeated questions, and John getting suspended for throwing a chair and cussing out the principle. _What an eventful day. _Kady was tired as she walked out the back way to sit and think for a little before heading to her car.

The football field bleachers looked inviting. She was shocked when her mom told her about her grandmother and the moving, she had nothing to say. Now that she could think, she felt amazingly pissed off.

Sitting at the top of the bleachers helped her take deep breaths, and then someone else decided to join.

"Kit, can I come and sit with you for just a moment?" John's voice echoed from the bottom of the bleachers.

"Do what you want." Kady replied, looking pointedly up to the sky.

As he sat down close beside her he let out a breath saying. "I do."

There was an old silence between them, one that was understood and not awkward or anything, just a needed quietness they both took after a long day. Kady could feel John's tension from beside her, and he was really upset.

No matter what happened with their break up Kady couldn't help but ask and worry about the only guy she ever had true feelings for.

"What's wrong John?" she asked as she kept her head lent back on the wire fencing behind her. The clouds were so gloomy today, it fit the mood quite well.

"Kit you can't move." John said, not a question or a statement, almost an order, but a desprate one. He was looking at her with that handsome and strong built face, and those amazing eyes.

"A little late for orders John, not that you should care what I do or where I go. You made a choice about me and us in the biology room. So I don't want to hear you pleading or acting sad for my leaving. It doesn't involve you anymore than it does Joe or Cabe or Marcus." Kady finished looking down at her hands taking a big breath so she wouldn't cry. She really did like John… A lot.

It was hard to finally tell him what he needed to hear when it was even harder for her to admit it to herself.

She felt his anger flare. Not at her, never at her, but at someone or something else she couldn't put her finger on.

"Kit –

"Stop calling me that!" She cut him off.

"I will call you Kit as long, and as much as I want to, you might think that it was my doing in the biology room, but at least I will always know that I never cheated on you, and I never wasted my time with any other girl when I could be with the only girl I've ever cared about. Do you know how much it hurts for you not to trust me?" He was about to say something else but then stopped in his tracks, confident and sure of himself as always.

The only thing that was missing from him these days were his warm smiles. She hadn't seen one since their last date, lying in the back of her pick-up truck curling up together under the stars.

"John, I do miss you, and you're the only guy I've ever cared about like this, but do you know how much it hurt? For me? I don't want to take a chance with my heart again, I gave it away to you, and then I never got it back." She ended out whispering the last part but she knew he heard her. Then a tear escaped. Which John noticed right away since his eyes never left her. His hands were coming up to hold her face , but she just needed one of his big hugs. She wasn't afraid to engage in the contact for she turned and sat on his lap, threw her arms around his neck, and his big arms wound around her waist like a warm, protecting, soft cage that smelled of pine. Both of them felt as though they could truly breath for the first time in a long time.

John POV

He couldn't help but dive his head in the curve of neck. Since her hair was down he was getting her full blast of sent that made a chill go down his spine.

She had a hint of wild berries that was mostly coming from her hair, but she had a clean sent that no one else had. It was like taking your first fresh intake of breath on a spring morning. Clean and needed.

"It doesn't matter anyway, I'm leaving and that's that." Kady said not letting go.

John was smiling, his cheeks were stiff but they stretched into a grin all the same.

Yes, Kady was leaving for California.

Yes, he was going to follow her and protect her. But what was really making him smile was that he could feel that she loved him, it was a warmth you couldn't explain, its just there.

"Kady, I don't give a shit if this is dramatic or totally out there, but I love you Kit, I always will. I wish you would believe me and trust me like you once did. I will never give up on you, I will never leave you, and I will never let anything happen to you." He said in her hair.

He felt her start to shake as she started to cry. That was it for talking. They just held on to each other for dear life. After an hour or so, John walked Kady to her car, gave her a big hug, and went ahead to give her a big kiss right on the mouth. Which she thankfully didn't refuse.


End file.
